Vinegar and Liquid Dish Detergent For A Stained Cup
By hereandthere
@hereandthere (45628)
Philippines
October 12, 2015 3:55am CST
There was a ceramic cup with yellow stains among the dishes to be washed. I scrubbed it as hard as I could, but the stains were still there.
After soaping, rinsing and stacking everything, I took the clean cup again, squirt white vinegar and dishwashing liquid in it, filled it with water, then left it on the sink.
It was three hours later when I remembered it. So, I emptied the cup and was pleasantly surprised that my curiosity-driven experiment was a success. No more stains.
We've always had white vinegar in a plastic pump bottle on the sink, next to the liquid dish soap. To soak anything that has oil, fat, cream, and tomato sauce, we add hot water from the airpot/thermos next to the sink.
What works for you?
(p.s. the dominant brand in the philippines seems to be joy by procter and gamble. in the us, it seems to be dawn, also by procter and gamble.
sometimes i wonder if they're actually the same, just renamed with a different logo and packaging in different countries or continents. what's the best-seller in your country and who owns it?)
28 people like this
30 responses
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
@sofssu we rarely use the microwave. maybe for popcorn once in a blue moon.
how and when do you use baking soda?
3 people like this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
12 Oct 15
No we have Joy dish soap as well as Dawn dish soap here in the US.
Vinegar, Baking Soda, Hydrogen Peroxide are three of the toughest fighters of grime there are. Adding dish soap to the mix helps somehow, I guess a chemical reaction of some sort.
4 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
@scribbledadnauseum yeah, according to wikipedia, joy was introduced in 1949, dawn in 1973, but it seems dawn is more 'powerful' and has more 'uses.'
i'd like to use vinegar and baking soda when cleaning burnt pots and pans but i see conflicting 'procedures' online.
2 people like this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
12 Oct 15
@hereandthere Joy isn't as often used that's for sure. In fact if I am not mistaken they only have one size bottle of Joy available.
Making the vinegar and baking soda into a paste would be the best, then using a sponge or scour pad (Depending on the type of pot) to clean it. If it's a nonstick pan you wouldn't want to use the Scour pad.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174277)
• United States
15 Oct 15
@hereandthere Uhm... the only time I ever mix baking soda and vinegar is when I want to cause a
fairly harmless explosion or shoot a rocket (or bucket, or cans or whatever) at the moon!
I could be 
mistaken, but chemically, baking soda and vinegar should cancel each other out, not create a better cleaning agent... I am almost positive of that...
fairly harmless explosion or shoot a rocket (or bucket, or cans or whatever) at the moon!
I could be mistaken, but chemically, baking soda and vinegar should cancel each other out, not create a better cleaning agent... I am almost positive of that...
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
12 Oct 15
The last time when I had ruined one of those stainless steel containers... (I wonder why they are called stainless
as I had them stained that day
). I used almost everything I could find... from sandstone to boric powder to even vinegar and nothing helped. Eventually I ended up with scrubbing it for almost 90 minutes with everything (of the above) mixed.
as I had them stained that day). I used almost everything I could find... from sandstone to boric powder to even vinegar and nothing helped. Eventually I ended up with scrubbing it for almost 90 minutes with everything (of the above) mixed.3 people like this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
12 Oct 15
@hereandthere Yes, sandstone is a piece of rock. I had seen earlier (when I was a kid that granny used this along with the ashes of burnt wood together to scrub and clean brassware). So I picked this one from my memories. I could not find ashes of wood so remained confined with the soap that we use for dish washing.
The boric power is supposed to be a refined form of borax.
The only relief was that wife was away and I had about 3-4 days to keep trying to get if fully recovered. Unfortunately, though the scars were gone, but the stains could not. So finally I had to tell her about the incident when she arrived....
It is tough to get away with something done wrong
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
@thesids when we grill something using charcoal, we also collect the ashes to scrub the bottoms of pots and pans blackened by flame
i keep reading about borax as a natural insect killer, but don't know where to buy them.
true. if you throw or give them away or buy new ones to replace them, she'll wonder why.
3 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
@thesids it's hard to imagine stained stainless steel 
you probably had sore arms and an aching back afterwards. 
if sandstone is a piece of rock, how did you use it?
is boric powder the same as borax?
you probably had sore arms and an aching back afterwards.
if sandstone is a piece of rock, how did you use it?
is boric powder the same as borax?2 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
13 Oct 15
Vinegar and baking soda are used a lot here to remove stains. We use Joy dishwashing liquid at home but it still doesn't remove coffee stains in the mugs very well.
3 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
14 Oct 15
maybe you can try soaking the mugs in water, vinegar and joy and see if it helps lighten the stains?
2 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
14 Oct 15
@hereandthere Yeah I think that's more efficient than just using the dishwashing liquid. 
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
15 Oct 15
@cahaya1983 let me know if the stain experiment works for you too
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
12 Oct 15
oh, I shall have to try this. I do use vinegar in a spray bottle to deal with pet accidents
3 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
13 Oct 15
@jessicalynnt i hope it works for you. how do you use vinegar for pet accidents?
3 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
13 Oct 15
@hereandthere vinegar and water in a spray bottle directly on the wet spot, then a towel and stand on it to encourage the mess to move to the towel. I still have to shampoo the carpet, but it helps get rid of smells!
4 people like this
@TheHorse (238275)
• Walnut Creek, California
14 Oct 15
@Jessicalynnt Does the pee smell really go away?
3 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
12 Oct 15
i've a concoction 'f lemon remnants 'n white vinegar that i use fer such here. i can't do chemical schtuff coz'f allergies. if'n its a particularly diff'cult stain, i'll spray my solution on, sprinkle with bakin' soda, put a damp towel o'er it 'n leave it fer a bit.
i use soap nuts to make dish soap 'n laundry soap outta. again...coz'f allergies. do keep a bottle 'f the original blue dawn 'round though. kills fleas 'n pups 'n great fer oily stains in clothes.
4 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
13 Oct 15
@crazyhorseladycx the equivalent of lemon here would be calamansi (small green limes). when we use them we add the rinds to the dishwashing liquid.
what's are soap nuts?
i was surprised at the other uses of dawn from the article on wikipedia.
4 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
16 Oct 15
@crazyhorseladycx they look like lychees.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
13 Oct 15
@hereandthere soap nuts 'r dried berry shells from the soap berry tree. dunno if'n they grow in yer neck 'f the woods?
yepperz, a million 'n one uses fer that dawn it seems. i gotta wear gloves to use the schtuff, but sure comes in handy when needed.
3 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
13 Oct 15
@rollo1 oh i remember ajax (by colgate palmolive) growing up, but here they were in the form of detergent bar and toilet cleanser (for the bathroom tiles and the bowl) back then.
2 people like this
@allknowing (153544)
• India
12 Oct 15
I will do the same thing with those charred stainless vessels about which I had written a post here. I will heat up also as recommended by a user here.
3 people like this
@allknowing (153544)
• India
12 Oct 15
@hereandthere I will as soon as I get some time. Those vessels are not used by us just now.
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
now it's your turn to experiment. keep us posted!
2 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
@hereandthere You really have to rub it well with your hands when rinsing so you can feel if there's no residue anymore . The liquid type is more expensive as you have to pour concentrate of it to those greasy parts . 
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
@SIMPLYD that's why i say the paste uses up more water. you also can't monitor each and every person doing the dishes so there will always be a plate, glass, bowl, spoon, etc that wasn't rinsed well.
as i said, we dilute the liquid dish detergent with water in a plastic pump bottle then complement it with vinegar and/or hot water.
3 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
@simplyd we tried dishwashing paste, too, but i noticed that it leaves a white powdery residue if you put too much and forget to rinse thoroughly.
at least with dishwashing liquid we can dilute it to last longer and it's easier to rinse so it doesn't use up too much water.
3 people like this
@sishy7 (27166)
• Australia
12 Oct 15
@hereandthere I guess so... I've never really liked hot coffee and never been a regular coffee drinker. But I can drink tea every day, sometimes even several times throughout the day - hot or iced tea are all fine by me...
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
@sishy7 i'm okay with iced tea, but i like iced coffee better.
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
have you always been a tea drinker before moving overseas?
3 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
@willmah vinegar has a lot of uses if we look them up online. what dish detergent do you use?
3 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
@wiLLmaH true because you save money, but if you buy too much and turns out to be crappy, it's hard to dispose. oh, yeah, send it home in the bbox and let them deal with it.
anyways, next to paste, another variant i don't like is the dishwashing gel in the plastic container. for me liquid is the best.
3 people like this
@wiLLmaH (8801)
• Singapore, Singapore
12 Oct 15
@hereandthere It depends what is on sale.. haha! :)
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@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
12 Oct 15
@marlina i didn't take a before and after picture because i wasn't sure if it would work. let me know if it works for you, too.
3 people like this
@marlina (154103)
• Canada
13 Oct 15
@hereandthere I will let you know when I try
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
16 Oct 15
yep, one pump bottle of dish soap and one pump bottle of vinegar next to each other. the thermos of hot water is also within reach. some people don't like the smell of vinegar though.
2 people like this
@mom210 (9170)
• United States
16 Oct 15
@hereandthere My kids do not like it, they walk in and say mom has been cleaning again. that is okay though they get over and the house is clean
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
15 Oct 15
@thehorse i try all kinds of brands, local and foreign. we always have vinegar next to the dishwashing liquid to squirt on anything with oil, fat, cream, and tomato sauce.
2 people like this
@owstalaga (4825)
• Philippines
13 Oct 15
Oh... that's something useful. I think I will use that for some of the bowls that have turned yellow from heavy use. I hate seeing the yellow stains. Don't even know why it gets stained other than maybe because we use the microwave.
Hopefully it will work when I try it. Never really bothered with plate/bowl stains before so I wouldn't know what'll work except from what you mentioned.
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
13 Oct 15
@owstalaga honestly, i'm not that bothered by stains, too, unlike my mother who would throw them away and buy new ones. 
but we received this preowned ceramic set recently so it's "new" so i experimented on it. good thing it worked!
you can try hot water if tap water doesn't work or takes too long. or as, mentioned by sofs here, let the microwave heat it up. let me know the results.
but we received this preowned ceramic set recently so it's "new" so i experimented on it. good thing it worked!
you can try hot water if tap water doesn't work or takes too long. or as, mentioned by sofs here, let the microwave heat it up. let me know the results.3 people like this
@lokisdad (4226)
• United States
20 Nov 15
I think the only down side to using vinegar is the strong scent. We use baking soda its odorless and does the same as the vinegar does eats the undesired stains and its cheap.
Dawn is big here a few other brands as well I guess its a matter of personal preference and how much you are looking to spend. Palmolive,Joy,Ajax
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
20 Nov 15
how do you use baking soda to remove stains on ceramic cups?
we have palmolive bath soap and shampoo here, no dishwashing liquid..
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
20 Nov 15
@lokisdad i tried it on a burnt pan but it was a fail. i probably did it wrong.
sometime i add baking soda during the washing machine's rinse cycle. sometimes vinegar.
@lokisdad (4226)
• United States
20 Nov 15
@hereandthere you take the baking soda and put it on a rag or whatever you are going to use to clean the dish wet it with a bit of water to make it into a paste and scrub the dish and it will cling to the dirt oil and whatever else is on there and it will come off. The best part is that baking soda is harmless to humans and animals so if you accidentally left it out and it got ingested by anyone or a pet you don't have to worry about it. There is no smell to worry about totally save and cheap. We use it to do baking,laundry,brush your teeth and household cleaning its also good to clean silver jewelry and silverware.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (91013)
• United States
13 Oct 15
I think Joy and Dawn are both products of Proctor & Gamble. Vinegar is great for so many things
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Oct 15
both joy and dawn used to have the ingredients on them and they contained the same things, if I remember correctly. We used to sell joy here too, but not in the past several years. I use dawn for washing windows, but I use something cheaper for my dishes since most of our dishes go through the dishwasher these days.
The discussion reminded me that I'm almost out of my dish soap and planned on buying some tonight, but it didn't make my list and therefore, I forgot it.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
27 Oct 15
i always have a paper list in my wallet and reminders on my phone, but sometimes i still forget to check them (confident that i remembered "everything") or i read too fast and missed some of them.
1 person likes this
@dorianna (509)
• United States
24 Nov 15
I have retired from a cleaning business of 30 years. I have used white vinegar for cleaning. It is best in a 50/50 solution with water for most cleaning. If a little abrasive is needed like for porcelain tubs or hard to get spots sprinkle with a little baking soda first then spray the white vinegar.
If a drain is drained pour some baking soda down drain, then full strength white vinegar. Let the bubble action go to work. About 30 minutes later run hot water and drain should clear.
Adding a little white vinegar to dish water disinfects and cleans. Vinegar is also good for removing odors..place a little bit in a bowl where it will not be spilled and it will remove kitchen/household odors.
@birjudanak (14316)
• India
24 Nov 15
use of vinegar for stains is very popular method here at my place from so many years ago,its easy and very successful,i think you know about AMWAY product which is also provide some good liquid for stain and its cheap and effective.
1 person likes this
